Seahawks Stand for Anthem to Honor Veterans

All Seattle Seahawks players stood for the national anthem with arms locked before their game Thursday night against the Arizona Cardinals to honor members of the military. It comes at the start of the NFL's "Salute to Service" weekend in honor of Veterans Day.

Author:
Travis Pittman , KING

Published:
11:19 PM EST November 9, 2017

Updated:
11:19 PM EST November 9, 2017

All Seattle Seahawks players stood for the national anthem with arms locked before their game Thursday night against the Arizona Cardinals to honor members of the military. It comes at the start of the NFL's "Salute to Service" weekend in honor of Veterans Day.

Defensive end Michael Bennett, who has sat during the anthem for most of the season to highlight racial and social injustice, said the team did it to make it clear that they support the military and veterans, according to NBC Sports play-by-play announcer Mike Tirico.

A man holds a sign supprorting NFL players kneeling during the national anthem prior to the Seattle Sehaawks vs, Arizona Cardinals, Nov. 9, 2017. The Seahawks stood during the anthem, but several players have sat or kneeled previously. (Credit: KING)

Those veterans include Bennett's father, who served in the Navy for a decade.President Donald Trump, among many others, have accused players who sit or kneel during the anthem of disrespecting military veterans and the flag.

Several Seahawks players have sat or kneeled during the anthem throughout the season. Bennett has sat during the anthem since the first preseason game, with two exceptions.

Seattle Seahawks link arms during the national anthem for the NFL game against the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium on November 9, 2017 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) (Photo: Christian Petersen, 2017 Getty Images)

The first was before the Sept. 24 game in Tennessee, two days after Trump called out players who did not stand during the pregame ceremony and called for them to be fired. The Seahawks, as a team, stayed in the locker room during the anthem.The other time was before the Oct. 8 game against the Los Angeles Rams. The Seahawks said they chose to stand to honor the victims of the Las Vegas shooting that left 58 people dead.

Multiple defensive players for the Seahawks have joined Bennett in sitting on the bench during the anthem in recent weeks following the President's comments.

Seattle Seahawks link arms for the national anthem prior to the NFL game against the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium on November 9, 2017 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) (Photo: Christian Petersen, 2017 Getty Images)